Overview
- After the ceremonial Snana Purnima bath, the temple observes a 15-day Anasara seclusion when the deities are treated with special pastes and darshan is restricted.
- The Rath Yatra will resume with the deities’ first public appearance after Anasara and a ceremonial pull of three chariots from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple for a weeklong stay.
- A distinctive ritual involves offering the beth (benta) stick, a symbolic cane linked in temple lore to authority, protection and Krishna’s childhood discipline.
- Artisans, chariot builders and temple authorities are completing crowns, chariot fittings and public displays while officials prepare to manage the large pilgrim turnout.
- The festival blends centuries-old local history and Hindu mythology with modern logistics, drawing millions of devotees and giving the Gundicha visit special ritual merit in temple texts.